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RTPI elects new Fellow, Richard Blyth

26 June 2017

The RTPI’s Head of Policy, Richard Blyth is the newest Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute. Fellowship is the RTPI's highest membership class and was awarded to Mr Blyth for his outstanding contribution to planning.

Richard Blyth FRTPI, who was presented with his certificate at the Institute’s General Assembly in June said:

“I have been involved with the RTPI for over 30 years, starting as a student member in 1982, becoming a chartered member in 1990 and started working for the Institute in 2011. It is therefore very moving to be awarded a Fellowship in recognition of my contribution to planning over the years by my peers in the profession. I will be pleased to continue to advocate for planning nationally and internationally.”

Graham Stallwood FRTPI said:

“I have worked alongside Richard as a Trustee and now as Chair of the Board during some of the 30 years he has been involved with the Institute. His contribution to both the profession and the RTPI is outstanding and this recognition is well deserved. Richard has overseen a dramatic shift in RTPI’s policy approach to raise its profile as a thought leader, been instrumental in re-establishing RTPI’s research function and is widely regarded as a leader of significant professional standing in policy debates.”

Mr Blyth has been Head of Policy and Practice at the RTPI since September 2011. Since then he has established the RTPI’s policy paper series starting with housing in 2013 and also the special RTPI Centenary Planning Horizons research programme with 5 projects being published in 2014.

Prior to this, he was an Associate Director at Capita Symonds where he worked on commissions for local authorities on infrastructure planning to support core strategies, and for a number of private clients on regeneration schemes. He spent over four years in the Civil Service, including being responsible for Local Plans in England.

Richard led a small team within the Joint Strategic Planning Unit which produced the last Berkshire Structure Plan and has also worked for district councils on local plans. He spent two years in the Gambia West Africa as a physical planning officer working on physical development plans and market regeneration. He received the degree of Master of Civic Design from the University of Liverpool.